Department of Sociology
Sociology is a foundational discipline that studies the basic concepts and theories of social sciences. It is also an applied discipline that analyses the causes and connections of human and social phenomena and seeks alternative solutions. Sociology is a comprehensive discipline that explores the interaction of various human actions and social structures. It is also a practical discipline that seeks to reduce social problems and personal and social suffering, and to build better communities and futures. Just as there is no field of life or profession in which society does not function, sociology spans all areas of life, including politics, economics, society, culture, psychology, health, and ecology. The comprehensiveness and convergence is the possibility of sociology to support your future and dreams in three dimensions.
The Department of Sociology at Gyeongsang National University started as the Department of Community Development in 1977 and was officially reorganised and established as the Department of Sociology in 1981. It has focused on fostering future-oriented and convergent human resources and practical public sociologists with the ability to solve community problems. The Department established a course titled Sociology of Human Rights course in 1999 for the first time in Korea. It also hosted Major in Community Innovation under Ulsan-Gyeongnam Regional Innovation Platform and USG Shared University sponsored by the Ministry of Education, which provides a glocal convergence education programme required by the modern knowledge-based society.
Based on classical and modern sociological theories, the Department’s teaching and research covers various interdisciplinary fields such as social psychology, sociology of family, sociology of human rights, industrial sociology, urban sociology, historical sociology, social inequality theory, political sociology, Korean sociology, sociology of education, gender policy, sociology of healthcare, cultural sociology, sociology of migration, sociology of knowledge, sociology of media, and local government and democracy. It also fosters competent sociological talents with both theoretical knowledge and application skills through various practical curricula such as memory and society, qualitative research methodology, social research methodology, and social research practice.
Career and Vision
Based on their sociological competence, the graduates of the Department of Sociology works at the public sector, media, academia, and research institutions. They also prove the ‘the use of sociology’ in various professional fields such as cultural foundations, museums, NGOs and civil society organisations, corporations, public opinion polling agencies, public officials and public corporations, archivists, writers, and media producers. The Department also offers curriculum-linked specialised tracks such as Community Research Specialist Track, Local Public History Specialist Track, Human Rights Policy Specialist Track, and Media/Journalism Specialist Track, by which students receive support for the relevant exams and eventually a certificate of completion. Students may obtain a social research analyst certificate or a certificate for secondary school teacher certificate in general social studies through a prescribed process. Students also continue their academic career by pursing master's and doctoral degree and become a professional talent requested by the country and society.